Fire extinguishing system



Apnl 9, 1940.l f E. A. LOWE Er ALA l 2,196,592

FIREExTINGUBHING SYSTEM Y Original Filed Jun '18, 1950 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 I N VEN TOR. fmes/ f owe /E//am//an BY n M www A T ,ME/z

Ap 9, 1940. E. A. LowE ET Al.

FIRE EXTINGUISHING SYSTEM 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Original Filed June 18, 1930 IN VEN TOR. [/wes/ 6. Z. owe Y Job/7 )E Ham/Ying? B TXRN dEe Y Patented Apn 9, 1940 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE Hamilton, Youngstown,

Ohio, assignors, by

mesne assignments, of one-half to Ernest A. Lowe, Fanwood, and one-half to Stephen T. Van Houten, Allendale, N. J.

Continuation of application Serial No.|461,945, June 18, 1930. This application September 30, 1936, Serial No. 103,262 a 6 Claims.

'I'his invention relates to ilre extinguishing apparatus or systems in which overhead and preferably underneath, or oor sprinklers, are employed owing .to the character of the hazard as,

5 for instance, in the case of hangars adapted for the storage of aeroplanes or aircraft or other buildings or enclosures in which highly infiammable material is housed.

In all hangar installations ceiling heights are necessarily large and the overhead sprinkler heads or outlets are necessarily located at a great distance from the oor, in order not to interfere with the storage space of the planes, or aircraft. In aeroplane hangars, a fire is radically dif- 15 ferent from an ordinary fire in that it acts with such rapidity it has practically been impossible to combat it prior to the advent of the present invention. It is devastating to the extreme in its effects for the reason that a hangar h ouses a large amount of highly inflammable materials such as high test gasoline, greases and oils as well as highly combustible wing and body fabrics and delicate wood structural members, which make ready tinder. It also acts with great rapidity because of the broad expanse of unobstructed space in the hangar through which a re sweeps in a minimum of time. The iire may ignite, flash and sweepthrough the entire hangar all Within a few minutes. It is destructive to the highest degree and may, unless promptly curbed, completely destroy the hangar itself as-Well as the aeroplanes therein which may easily result in a loss of several hundred thousand dollars, especially if the hangar is used as a storage space only in which the aeroplanes are compactly and closely nested together. Seconds, not minutes, measure success in combating aeroplane hangar lires. The heat generated by such fires is intense and explosions frequently characterize them. The intense heat not only destroys the combustible materials in the hangar but warps and wrecks the steel framework of the hangar and the metal portions 4of the planes themselves.

The present invention has for its general object the provision of improved means whereby a fire may be quickly detected and the application of a re extinguishing agent, by downwardly andV preferably upwardly directed streams of a re extinguishing medium, such as water, may be quickly brought about, and consists in the improved combination of apparatus and devices or.- ganized as hereinafter described to effectually protect the stored contents of an airplane hangar or other closure against destruction by fire a through the direct application of the fire eX- trolled sprinkler heads connected to the Water 10 distributing piping and normally held closed by their fuses. 'I'he melting of said fuses and the opening of the overhead sprinkler head or heads to.I allow the escape of air under compression in the distributing system, is depended upon to cause opening of the main valve and flow of the lire extinguishing medium through both the overhead and underneath floor sprinklers. Such fuse controlled sprinkler heads must, however, be located high up in the ceiling or roof so as not to interfere with the stored contents of the hanger, in which position any heat collector or heat responsive device designed to control the application of lire extinguishing medium is subjected to heating by the sun through the ceiling or roof` to a high degree of temperature. As the control depends upon the melting of the fuse moreover the action under the effect of heat rising from the floor of thev hangar and suiiicient in amount to melt the fuse, is necessarily slow. p

In addition to the above, the previous systems using fuse controlled sprinkler heads are obviously at a further disadvantage since at the time of a re the hangar is apt to be cold as from doors being opened and when a fire occurs the sprinkler head must absorb su'icient heat to bring it to the operating point. Should the attempt be made to control the action of the apparatus by a more sensitive xed temperature f thermostat than the fuse a liability results to the premature operation of the same, due to the fact that a high temperature is liable to collect 'and accumulate from the heat of the sun and to thereby bring about a premature operation thereof. This transmission of heat from the air to the sprinkler head entails considerable time which is a vital factor in properly controlling and extinguishing lires in this type of building.

As a matter of. fact it is found in practice that in the previous systems just referred to the operation of the fuse controlled sprinkler head which brings the main valve into action is too slow in discharging water to the re from the oor and other sprinklers to be of effective re fighting value, this delay being, primarily, due to the lapse of time necessary in order that the fuse which keeps the sprinkler head normally closed `of about 45 pounds is usual and a drop of that pressure on the opening of the sprinkler head down to tripping pressure of 17 pounds is relied upon to effect vthe opening of the main valve. The periodV of time delay after the main valve trips is further enlarged, for the reason that the air remaining in the system after the dropping to the critical tripping pressure must escape before the water can discharge freely. As fires in .hangars are extremely rapid and are of what is called flash character this delay detracts greatly from the efficiency of the system. Furthermore, dependence being placed upon the sprinkler heads in the ceiling tofuse and open the dry piping for the iiow of the water or other medium to the overhead and iioor outlets there is a further element of delay owing to the extreme ceiling heights necessary in hangars. p l

The main object of the present invention is to overcome the above and other defects and disadvantages in the aforesaid hangarflreextinguishing systems employing overhead and floor sprinklers.

In the improved system forming the subject vof the present application the distributing piping does not contain air under pressure that would delay or interfere with the arrival of the re extinguishing medium, such as water, to and 'through the downwardly directed ceiling sprinklers and to and through the upwardly directed floor sprinklers. The sprinklers employed in the ceiling as well as the floor sprinklers are of the normally open type, so that the flow of water or other extinguishing medium will not be delayed by the presence of air banking up in the distributing piping. The opening of the main valve in the present invention, instead of being dependent upon the drop in pressure of the air in the distributing system, is placed upon independent thermal devices placed above the space containing the inflammable storage material and preferably .in proximity'to the normally open sprinkler heads.

The aforesaid thermal devices are arranged to cover or embrace the whole area of the storage space for the airplanes so that when a fire takes place, either in the airplane itself, orin accumucurrent of heated air from the fire.

lated oil or other innammabie material on the floor at any point, one or more of said thermal devices will be immediately affected by the rising The tripping of the main valve is made dependent, not upon the relief of pressure in the main distributing piping, but upon an increase of air pressure in a supplemental piping connected with the thermal or heat collecting devices arranged in theV manner described and located in the roof or ceiling of the hangar so as to be well out of the way of the stored aeroplanes or other aircraft and by reason of their construction quickly sensitive or responsive to the heat of the ascending heated air currents rising from the point of origin of the fire. This increased pressure ismade effective either by a mechanical or a water trip as will be hereinafter more particularly described. 'I'he thermal devices embody preferably sealed air bulbs or containers of large. volume as coml pared with the diameter of piping through which the pressure of the container is communicated to the controlling devices and are preferably of the rate of rise type. In order that these devices may act upon the rate of rise principle they, or the piping conveying the increased air pressure to the main valve, are provided with suitable restricted airrvents which permit escape of the air therefrom when the increased temperature and pressure takes place at a normal rate less than a predetermined rate at which the device should be effective in opening the main valve.

By the means just described, normal changes ofy atmospheric temperature in the building or storage space, such as would result from the heat of the sun directly falling upon the roof of hangars, and collected and accumulated in the roof through a degree which if continued would result in a production of a temperature of fixed amount or degree suiiicient to bring about the operation of the usual heat collector, will not cause the main valve to open but if re occurs and the temperature rises quickly, or at a rate indicating a condition of danger, said pressure will not be 'compensated or allowed to escape through the carried out in one of the particular forms in which it may be used will be now described in connection with th`e accompanying Vdrawings wherein:

Fig. l is a general elevation and partial section of the system as applied to a hangar..

Fig. 2 is a detail view showing a preferred form of water trip adapted for use in connection with the main water valve, or valve admitting the fire extinguishing medium to the distributing pipe.

Fig shows a form of mechanical trip that may be used as a substitute for the water trip.

The distributing piping leading to the sprinkler heads in the ceiling and floor of the hangar is indicated by the numeral I. Normally open sprinkler heads in or n'ear the ceiling and adapted to discharge the fire extinguishing medium downwardly upon the contents of the hangar when it flows to said sprinkler heads through the piping open sprinklerheads adapted to direct streams of re extinguishing medium upwardly from` the iioor when the normally closed main valve ,3 opens connection from the source of supply l of fire extinguishing., medium to the piping I. normally open sprinkler heads 2 may be attached to piping I embedded in the floor of the building or hangar and saidsprinkler heads 2 may be..

countersunk, if desired, in depressions in the floor surface to avoid injury to the same.

The normally open sprinklers 2 are conveniently placed at or attached to the top of risers 5 extending upwardly from the horizontal distributing pipe I, or may be otherwise connected to the main valve 3, or the piping leading therefrom' so as to be located preferably nearl the roof or ceiling 6. Located'also in the ceiling are sealed Said l air bulbs I preferably, of metal and connected through air piping 8 with the main valve 3. These air containers, or bulbs 1, are as usual of metal, adapted to absorb heat quickly, and to.

pressure in acting upon a suitable trip device for said main valve 3whereby said valve, normally held closed by any suitable means, may be caused to open. Said trip may be a water trip or a mechanical trip or one of any other desired character. The compensating vent hereinbefore mentioned is here shown at 9 vas applied to the piping 8. One of the aeroplanes to be housed or stored in the hangar is indicated at III.

In Fig. 2 we show a suitable type of water trip for the main valve that may be employed in carrying out our invention. The parts of this water trip and the controlling devices therefor as shown in this figure may be located entirely within the housing of the valve 3, or parts thereof may be located outside of said housing. In this figure, I I indicates a water valve normally resting on its seat and normally cutting off the passage of the fire extinguishing medium from the pipe 4 to the pipe I2 from which the piping I branches. Valve II is normally held on its seat against the headl of the fire extinguishing medium by means of a supplemental disk or clapper I3 which is acted on by by-passrpressure of the water or other medium in a chamber I3 and passing to said chamber from pipe 4 through a branch pipe I4 of restricted capacity and acting on the rear face of the valve clapper or disk I3 to hold the valve II closed.

A valve I5 normally prevents escape of the bypass pressure water through a vent pipe I6 but when said valve I5 is opened the pressure acting on the disk I3 is relieved and the pressure of the medium tending to open the valve I I is permitted to become effective to open said valve II. Said medium thereupon flows immediately to the pipe I2 and the distributing pipes I and through the same freely and without obstruction from air under pressure and is discharged immediately downwardly through the upper normally open sprinklers 2 and upwardly through the normally open floor sprinkler 2'. The discharged streams of water are thus delivered directly' upon the fire at its place of origin to extinguish any incipient fire that may arise at any place over the storage i floor space in the hangar or in the stored contents such as the aeroplane I0.

The relief valve I5 is normally held closed by a suitable spring action reinforced by the intel'- nal pressure ofthe by-pass chamber I3 but is opened whenever pressure of sufficient amount in the air piping 8 is developed in the air containers 'I to operate upon or influence a diaphragm I1 which forms awall of a closed chamber I'I' in which the pipe 8 terminates. Said diaphragm acts, when operated, upon a detent lever I8 which normally holds a weight I9 raised but upon release of the weight by the air pressure in 8, said weight falls to the position shownin dotted lines and strikes the upper end of the stem of valve I 5 thus depressing the same forcibly and opening the communication betweenthe chamber I3 and escape vent I6. The main valve II thereupon opens and the fire extinguishing medium flows as before described.

In the above described operation the action of the diaphragm operated detent I8 is not interfered with at any time by the pressure of the extinguishing medium which would otherwise tend to prevent disengagement of the detent member. Said detent may be therefore disengaged readily by the action of the air pressure diaphragm I1 and its associated heat absorbing air containers 1. Light pressure, therefore, on the diaphragm may be readily made effective by the simple release of the weight which in falling applies proper force to act upon the valve restraining means and free the valve from the action of the latter. The stem of the valve I5,

may be sealed by attachment thereof to a collapsible bellows arrangement 20 surrounding the stem and attached to the upper end of the stem as shown. In addition an alarm bell 2I may be caused to sound through the closure of an electric circuit effected by an arm 22 of the Weighted lever, said arm impinging upon a member of the circuit closer when the weight is released.

In the operation of the system as thus far described the-valye controlling the re extinguishing medium is normally in closed position as shown in Fig. 2 and the sprinkler heads 2 and 2 are both open while air in the piping I instead of being under pressure confined therein by normally closed fuse controlled sprinklers as in the prior instance ab'ove referred to, is at normal atmospheric pressure. The increased temperature attendant upon reconditions in the storage space of the hangar quickly affects the air containers located in the ceiling or roof and well above the storage space for the aircraft and there results.` an increase of pressure therein at such rate and of such amount as to cause the diaphragm I1 to release the weight, thereby relieving by-pass pressure of the water trip valve and admitting the re extinguishing medium to the piping I. The extinguishing medium is immediately discharged in upwardly directed streams from the normally open floor sprinklers 2' and downwardly directed streams from the normally open sprinklers 2. There thus results a quick and effective application of fire extinguishing medium without waiting for an accumulation of temperature sufficient to operate slowly acting fuses of the previous system located in the sprinkler heads and without delay from the presence, of air normally under pressure in the mains I and trapped therein by the normally closed'sprinkler outlet as in the previous hangar system.

'As will be obvious, in the system of thermal control herein described, inasmuch as it is unnecessary to maintain pressure in the sprinkler piping and inasmuch as all the sprinkler heads are always open, instant delivery of the water or other fire extinguishing medium is accomplished when the thermal system acts, and the discharge of water or other medium from below and above is accomplished quickly enough vto hold the fire to its original location thus confining the spread thereof with saving of material and building and eliminating unnecessary water damage. over, the increased sensitiveness. and quick action of the rate of rise system is not lessened appreciably by the extreme ceiling height since the heat rises quickly to the roof or ceiling and the thermal device may be depended upon to quench a small re that would be incapable of operating the fuses of the previous hangar systems hereinbefore referred to. I

Surface gasoline fires as well known are lswift in action and aeroplane structures are peculiarly More-- inflammableand quickly burning but by actual tests the improved System herein described has proved more effective than any previous systemin operating the main valve of the fire extinguishing medium and extinguishing res in hangars with minimum loss.

Instead of the water trip valve operated in the manner described to admit re extinguishing medium to the distributing piping I and the normally open sprinkers, a mechanical trip valve of the form illustrated in Fig. 3 might be employed. In this gure the main Water valve is a disk valve 23 normally seated on the valve seat 24 and thereby closing the admission of the medium from the pipe 4 to the piping l through suitable connection 25. Said disk valve may have a flexible facing 23 engaging the valve seat and as described in our Patent No. 1,869,204, dated July 26,y

1932. The valve disk 23 is held to its seat'against the pressure of the rst extinguishing medium beneath the valve by, a catch. 26 and is tripped by engagement of the weighted lever 21 released by tite detent or catch lever la said weighted 1ever engaging when released with an arm 28 extend- -ing from said pivoted catch 2G. 'Ihe release of the weighted lever and the general action is as already described in connection with the use of the water trip valve, As also will be seen in this case, the control of the tripping action from the -pressure actuated diaphragm will not be interseded by sprinklersy positioned or located on the side walls of the tunnel to` discharge streams of water laterally and inwardly instead of upwardly as in the preferred form of the invention, it being understood that the overhead sprinklers also would be employed.

It will be understood also that in the interests of economy, in some cases the floor sprinklers may be entirely eliminated and the apparatus will function eilectively nevertheless but not as effectively as if they had been included.

This application is a continuation of our ap-` pucation md June -1s, 1930, serial No. 461,945.

The invention claimed is: 1. A re extinguishing apparatus for a hangar comprising overhead normally open sprinklers adapted to direct the fire extinguishing medium downwardly, normally open floor sprinklers adapted to direct the fire extinguishing medium upwardly, said sprinklers being disposed to cover or shroud the whole :door storage area of the hangar, 'a main valve normally closed and shutting off the passage of re extinguishing medium to said sprinklers, restraining means normally holding said main valve closed against pressure of the extinguishing medium, trip devices for freeing the restraining means to permit the main valve to open and means for controlling said trip devices comprising air piping connected to air containers located and distributed in the roof of the hangar above the storage space and exposed to the directly ascending heated air currents from the iire at any part of the hangar oor space occupied by an airplane or aircraft and a pressure responsive diaphragm responsive to increase of pressure in said piping due to increase of temperature at a relatively rapid rate in any portion of the storage area and adapted to control the e operation of the trip devices.

' for holding the same in closed or inoperative position, rate of rise thermal devices located in the roof or ceiling of the hangar and trip devices operating on said restrainingmeans-to free said main valve, said trip devices being controlled by the air pressure generated through heating of said rate of rise device.

3. A hangar installation forcontrolling and extinguishing fires in hangars consisting of the combination of normally open sprinklers adapted to direct a fire extinguishing medium downwardlyand located and disposed over and shroudlng thel whole oor storage space, norf mally open iloor sprinklers adapted to direct the iirey extinguishing medium directly upwardly, piping with which both said sets of sprinklers are in direct communication to permit the free escape of the air when subejcted to'the compressing eiect of the iire extinguishing medium admitted to the sprinklers, a` main valve controlling the admission of fire extinguishing medium to said piping, air containers located and said valve normally closed and trip devices therefor controlled in their action by abnormal pressure developed in said air piping by abnormal heating of the air containers.

4. In a flre extinguishing apparatus for hangars and in combination, distributing piping containing air at atmospheric pressure and provided with overhead sprinklers and oor sprinklers having normally open outlets, of a main valve controlling the admission of re extinguishing uid to said piping and sprinklers and relatively sensitive controlling devices located within and distributed under the drooif of said hangar and disposed directly over the iloor storage space therein so as to receive the directly ascending air currents from a re arising at any portion of said iioorv space, said controlling devices being of the type acting in response to a predetermined rate of rise of temp'erature instead of onI the attainment of a xed temperature and means extending from said controlling devices to said valve for operating the latter. i

5. In a tire extinguishing apparatus for protecting storage areas and in combination, distributing piping for conducting iire extinguishing fluid, normally open overhead sprinklers and 'normally open upwardly directed iioor sprinklers extinguishing fluid to said piping and sprinklers and distributed through the space in the roo! of the storage varea and disposed over the storage portion of the area so as to be exposed to the directly ascending heated air currents arising from a lire at any portion of said area and con' sisting of rate of rise heat responsive devices for releasing said valve mechanism on the occur-- rence of a rise in temperature therein at a greater than a predetermined rate.

6. In a fire extinguishing apparatus for hangars or like buildings, distributing pipes con-` taining air at atmospheric pressure and provided with downwardly discharging overhead sprinklers having normally open outlets and upwardly discharging sprinklers having normally open outlets and located respectively at spaced points throughout the areas of the roof zone and storage oor zones of the building, valve mecha.-

msm controlling the admission of nre extinguishing uid to said pipes, and thermally responsive means embodying a system of relatively sensitive controlling devices located at spaced points Within the roof zone of said building and directly over the floor zones therein so as to be lnuenced by directly ascending air currents arising from a fire occurring at spaced points intermediate said iioor zones and controlling devices, said controlling devices being of the type acting in response to a predetermined rate of rise of temperature in-y stead of on the attainment of a xed temperature, and means extending from said controlling devices to said valve mechanism so as to be affected by the action of any one of them for operating the latter.

ERNEST A, LOWE.

JOI-IN R. HAMILTON. 

